Winter has arrived. Temperatures have dropped. And a fresh blanket of snow has carpeted much of our region. It’s a lovely, underrated time of year. But while every New England winter comes with an assortment of coveted indoor activities — cozying up by the fire, cooking a warm, hearty meal, or even just napping — we all reach a point when we just need a little fresh air. It seemingly happens around the same time every year. It creeps in at the beginning of February, right after the groundhog declares six more weeks of winter. More snow next week? More shoveling, more freezing temperatures, more staying indoors. We have cabin fever.

But us New Englanders are a stir crazy bunch. We get the deep desire to throw open our doors and windows, the stale winter are moving out with it as we declare our escape.

Despite the cold and the snow, we take to the trails, to the woods or to the beach. We strap on our snowshoes, our cross-country skis and our heaviestwinter coats. We get outside and take in every ounce of fresh air, every ounce of serene beauty, and every ounce of the wilderness that winter has to offer. We don’t stop for winter. We’re New Englanders.